Nadal hitting with world's #1 junior

[stotty]

Andrey Rublev wild carded into the Kremlin Cup…first round against Sam Groth ranked #88 in the world from Australia.

Yes, let\'s keep an eye on these top juniors: Tiafoe, Koslov, Rublev and the like and chart how they get on.

I found Koslov\'s match facts on the ATP website. He is clearly relying on breaking serve so far...needs to get more firsts in.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...zlov.aspx?t=mf

[don_budge]

Aspiring junior tennis players…and bugs

Yes, let\\\'s keep an eye on these top juniors: Tiafoe, Koslov, Rublev and the like and chart how they get on.

I found Koslov\\\'s match facts on the ATP website. He is clearly relying on breaking serve so far...needs to get more firsts in.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...zlov.aspx?t=mf

Francis Tiafoe…ranked 1129
Stefan Kozlov…ranked 444
Andrey Rublev…ranked 495
Elias Ymer…ranked 238

Has anyone noticed how when you type an apostrophe or quote marks you get a uninvited backslash in the bargain? Bug in the website?

[stotty]

Francis Tiafoe…ranked 1129
Stefan Kozlov…ranked 444
Andrey Rublev…ranked 495
Elias Ymer…ranked 238

Has anyone noticed how when you type an apostrophe or quote marks you get a uninvited backslash in the bargain? Bug in the website?

I thought it was my keypad.

[don_budge]

This is a test...

Testing…1, 2, 3, 4

Testing…1", 2', 3", 4'

[don_budge]

All systems go...

Testing…1, 2, 3, 4

Testing…1", 2', 3", 4'

Houston!

[don_budge]

The Kids Are Alright…The Who

The Who…another great band…gee, they don't make rock bands like they used to either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afam2nIae4o

Andrey Rublev went down to Sam Groth (#88) 76 75.

Elias Ymer went down to Jeremy Chardy (#34) 63 64.

[stotty]

The Who…another great band…gee, they don't make rock bands like they used to either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afam2nIae4o

Andrey Rublev went down to Sam Groth (#88) 76 75.

Elias Ymer went down to Jeremy Chardy (#34) 63 64.

Talented player this Ymer fellow. Here's a good clip to view his serve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXspZjw7ucQ

He moves well and hustles well.

[klacr]

Ymer is Sweden's future. Will be interesting if he can produce and inspire a resurgence of Swedish tennis back to the top.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The Ymer Brothers...

He moves well and hustles well.

You don't often hear that word any longer…hustle. That is such a great attribute for a tennis player to have…the ability to hustle. That can speak volumes about their desire.

Ymer is Sweden's future. Will be interesting if he can produce and inspire a resurgence of Swedish tennis back to the top.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Curiously enough I believe his brother maybe be destined to be better. It could be Sweden's poor man answer to the Williams "sisters" in America. The younger brother's name is Mikeal I believe…they are of Egyptian descent. Training out of Stockholm now at the same place that Grigor Dimitrov was training out of. They should be interesting to watch at least on a national level here in Sweden as there is little else to talk about.

[klacr]

don_budge,

Great info on the Ymer brothers. To be honest, I didn't even know Elias Ymer had a younger brother. Good news that Sweden has some hope. The academy they train at is called the Good to Great Tennis Academy. They have some good coaches and a stable of juniors. Here's the website

http://www.goodtogreatworld.com/en/2011/11/good-to-great-tennis-academy-2/

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Ymer's Raonic moment...

Talented player this Ymer fellow. Here's a good clip to view his serve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXspZjw7ucQ

He moves well and hustles well.

The racket face parallel to the ground is taught by many south american coaches. They use the expression of feeling the racket as you are holding a frying pan by the handle. Try it and you will experience that having the racket face open at the beginning of the serve gives you that feeling of holding a frying pan by the handle.

The idea behind it is to help students having problems with pronation. Having the racket with an open face at the beginning of the serve effectively suppinates the arm and wrist allowing for greater pronation at the time you strike the ball.

It is the same principle mentioned in one of the articles here in tennisplayer about the Roddick serve. In that article I believe a college coach mentions that he discovered a hidden jewel in the Roddick serve because Roddick suppinates his arm when he reaches the pro drop.

The open racket face of the Raonic serve is the same principle but instead of suppinating at the pro drop, you suppinate at the beginning of the serve.

Ernest Gulbis also begins his serve with an open racket face.

The long follow thru, in my opinion, is just a consequence that Raonic has extremelly long arms.

That serve has a bit of that Milos Raonic "omelette frying" motion in it doesn't it.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/showthread.php?t=1857&highlight=milos+raonic+serve

[stotty]

Coric, 17, had a big win today against Gulbis. Anyone see it?

I also see Zverev, 17, beat Dimitrov.

It's good to see precocious talent. We haven't seen it in a while.

[klacr]

I saw the Coric victory. Gulbis not 100% physically or psychologically.

very impressive. Speed kills. Spoke to Brad Gilbert earlier today and he predicts Coric will be top 25 by next year.

I also saw Alexander Zverev give grigor Dimitrov a very entertaining battle. He lost in three sets but Zverev handled himself well. For those that missed the match, match point is worth checking out.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

Hey, Klacr: Brad Gilbert: Ask him if this is all true: He's 53 yrs. old. Used to play indoors in Albany race track ca.

Grew up on King street in Piedmont, ca. Got banned from 84 king, one of the two houses in Piedmont with its own tennis court, for playing on it at 6am without asking. Got banned from the ncta for a period for starting a fist fight with a junior, who accused him of cheating, etc, gamesmanship to win his match. His brother BArry became one of the guys who decided during meetings, who would get banned or suspended. Had a rep as a junior who used any psych to win. Scalped tickets at the age of 10-13 yrs. old , often making $250 and up a day, at the Oakland collossieum, for A's and Raiders games. Was considered a pushy little prick by the other scalpers. Played at Guilleford courts and Piedmont high, and Davies stadium.

Had the seat license ($4,000 each) for Raiders games: 4 season tickets, when the Raiders played 6 pre season games, which the owners only paid a stipend to the players, and charged full boat to the ticket holders, so they made big money on those 6 pre season games, when the league all did it, for 15 yrs., in section 117, where every one would stand the whole game, and spent $75,000 on them, and tapped out after 15 yrs. of standing up the whole game while the team was losing. Has a small tennis shop in San Rafael. Lives on Dominican above the Dominican college in San Rafael/Novato area. Has three kids, one of whom is looking at Northwestern colleges now. Doesn't care too much about equipment or string. Does not use the spin strings, as he hits flat with old school grips/technique. Says most pros are using gut/alu hybrids.

[klacr]

Yes Geoff. Some of those things I'm aware of and are true.

Some of the stuff he wishes he may be able do to over. That's life. Gotta learn from the mistakes and get better, capitalize on the good decisions. No one is perfect, Brad will admit that. He's more mature, more refined now. His wife Kim has made him a better man as well. Wish all men had a strong woman like Kim.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton